Saturday, October 12, 2024
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Hydrogen UK releases strategic roadmap

Hydrogen UK has outlined a strategic roadmap in its latest report to position the UK as a leader in the sector.

The roadmap in the report, called the UK Hydrogen Supply Chain Strategic Assessment, outlines how the sector can become a leader while also driving economic growth and job creation.

The report reveals that the UK has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a global leader in the nascent hydrogen supply chain market, using its favourable geography, geology, strong pipeline of hydrogen projects, stable policy environment, and transferable skills from the North Sea.

Hydrogen technology and supply chains are emerging, and the UK must invest in these areas alongside deployment to deliver economic benefits and address global supply chain constraints.

Quick wins in the hydrogen supply chain have been identified in the report, including electrolyser stacks, power electronics, hydrogen network pipes, and compressed hydrogen storage tanks.

There are areas that require concerted effort, such as compressors and reformer packages, due to their high value and impact but challenging delivery.

The UK should take an “opportunistic approach” to carbon capture packages, industrial equipment, and industrial burners, and focus longer-term on HV transformers, hydrogen gas turbines, and air separation units, it said.

It recommends future funding should include a mandatory UK supply chain assessment, and a top-up bonus mechanism to promote the selection of UK suppliers. The creation of a central Hydrogen Supply Chain Support and Funding Body is recommended to coordinate investment into the hydrogen space, and the UK’s skills strategy should focus on priority supply chain areas and align with the required timelines.

The report also highlights leveraging existing UK assets and programmes to attract foreign direct investment in key supply chain areas.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

“This report is a pivotal step in realising the UK’s potential in the hydrogen economy. By strategically investing in our supply chain and workforce, we can not only lead globally but also create thousands of jobs and drive significant economic growth.”

Minister for Industry Sarah Jones said:

“We’re on a mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower and low-carbon hydrogen is key to making it happen.

“This report highlights the critical areas we need to focus on to build a thriving hydrogen economy, create good jobs, and boost UK skills and I will be considering the findings carefully.

“We’re ready to work with industry to seize this opportunity and by targeting strategic areas of the supply chain, drive a new era of growth and innovation.”

Image from Shutterstock

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